Vehicle-coupling



(No Model.)

S. H. HAAS.

VEHICLE COUPLING. N0. 403,427. Patented May 14, 1889.

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LA ArE H qwitmaoc o AAAA UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL H. HAAS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,427, dated May 14,1889.

Application filed June 25, 1888. Serial No. 278,187. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL II. lIAAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVehicle-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be asufficiently full, clear, and exact description thereof to enable othersskilled in the art to make and use the said invention.

This invention relates to couplings for vehicles for purposes oftraction, and is specially applicable to tramway and railway cars.

It has for its object facility of coupling and uncoupling, securityagainst accidental uncoupling, the avoidance of injury to personsengaged in coupling such vehicles together, and easy an (1 readyapplicability to cars having draw-heads of the present usualconstruction.

The construction and operation of this invention are hereinafter fullyand particularly described in this specification, and shown in theannexed drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a top view of the invention asapplied to a car having the usual wroughtmet-al draw-head; Fig. 2, aside view thereof; Fig. 3, an end View thereof; Fig. 4, a side view ofthe invention as applied directly to the draw-bar of a railway-car. Fig.5 shows the invention as coupled to an ordinary hook-andlinkcar-coupling. Fig. 6 shows the invention as coupled to an ordinarybull-nose draw-head;

Fig. 7, a detached view of the pin or bolt, and Fig. 8 a detached viewof the latch.

I11 Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 a wrought-iron drawhead, 1, having the usualpin-hole, 2, has inserted in it a pin, 3, having a cylindric part, 1,fitting through the holes 2, and provided at the lower part with ascrew-thread, 5, and nut 6, or a slot, 7, and key 8, as shown in Figs.1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. The pin 3 has a head, 9, larger than the cylindricportion at, forming a shoulder, 10, resting on the draw-head 1.

The head 9 is convex or rounded upon the corners in horizontal section,and is curved concavely in the direction of its length at the lowerpart, 11, toward the car to which it is applied, and above at the partmarked 12 is curved convexly. A shoulder, 13, is formed near the top ofthe pin-head 9, having a fiat vertical face, 14. Against the face 11 isplaced a latch, 15, turning upon a pivot, 16, located to one side of thecentral vertical plane of the pin-head, and is made of such form as tobe heavier at the longer end and to rest on bottom of the shoulder 13.The length of the latch 15 is so much greater than the space across theinside of the coupling-link 17 that when one inner side of the link 17is against the side of the head 9 the other inner side of the link 17will be beneath the end of the latch 15, and cannot be raised ordisengaged from the pin-head 9 without first turning the longer end ofthe latch 15 upward. The longer end, 18, of the latch 15 is curved onthe upper side, and the shorter end, 19, is curved on the lower sidewith an angle, 20, at the upper extremity. WVhen the link 17 is placed011 the pinhead 9, the corner 20 of the latch 15 is depressed by theweight of the link, and longer end of the latch 15 is raised, so thatthe link passes down around the pin-head 9 below the latch 15, whichresumes its former horizontal position and prevents the link 17 frombeing jolted off. The part 19 of the latch 15 coming in contact with thelink in a rising motion, holds the longer arm of the latch down. Therelative length and form of the two arms of the latch 15 are such that adescending motion of the link causes a quicker rising movement of thelong arm, thus permitting the link 17 to pass by it.

To couple cars by this apparatus, it is simply requisite to place thelink 17 over the pinhead 9, and it falls into its place and is retainedthere by the latch 15.

An upright groove or tubular channel, 21, is formed in the pin-head 9,as shown in Fig. 4, in which is loosely fitted, so as to slide freely, arod, 22, the lower end of which is connected to a chain, 23, or lever21, or both, as shown in Fig. 4, by means of which it can be raised by aperson at either the side or on top of the car. The upper end of the rod21 is under the longer arm of the latch 15 and serves to raise it whenit is desired to uncouple the car, a projection, 25,1noving with the rod21,.serving to raise the link 17.

As shown in Fig.5, a draw-head provided with my improved pin engages thelink of a hook-and-link draw-head such as is used on coal-trains; asshown in Fig. 6, the link 17 engages on the pin-head 9 and with theordinary bull -nose or bellmouthed draw used on freight-cars showing thegeneral applicabilities of .my invention to existing car-fixtures.

Having described my invention and the mode of operating the same, what Iclaim is 1. An improved vehicle-coupling consisting of a vertical hookedpin provided with a pivotally-attached latch transverse to the directionof draft, having unequal arms, the longer one preponderating to retainit in horizontal position and curved at the ends, as shown anddescribed, to automatically receive a coupling link and prevent thedisengagement thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. An improved Vehicle-coupling consisting of a vertical hookedprojection provided with a pivotally-attach ed latch placed transverselyto the line of draft, having arms of unequal length, the longer onepreponderating to retain it in horizontal position and curved at theends, as shown and described, to automatically tilt and pass through acouplinglink and prevent the accidental disengage-' ment thereof,combined With a tilting mechanism arranged to operate said latch frombeneath for the purpose of disengaging the link, substantially as setforth.

3. A11 improved vehicle-coupling consisting of avertical hookedprojection provided with a pivotally-attached latch having arms ofunequal length, the longer arm preponderating to retain it in horizontalposition and curved at the ends, as shown and described, toautomatically pass through a coupling-link and prevent disengagementthereof, combined With a tilting and lifting mechanism arranged tooperate said latch and lift the couplinglink, substantially as setforth.

SAMUEL H. HAAS. I

Witnesses:

J. DANIEL EBY, ALEX. H. SIEGEL.

